3 minute read
Saint Lawrence lands Denford Stakes
The Roger Varian-trained Saint Lawrence (2 c ex Affluent by Oasis Dream) handed Oakgrove Stud-based sire Al Kazeem (Dubawi) with his third stakes winner after he landed the Denford Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Newbury on Saturday.
As the rivals queued up in the final furlong, the two-year-old colt proved too hard to pass, staying on well to beat Godolphin’s Dhahabi (Frankel) by three-quarters of a length with another three-quarters of a length back to Francesco Guardi (Frankel) in third.
Varian said he was disappointed after the colt finished fourth in the Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Ascot, but was happy to see him regain the winning thread on Saturday.
“I was initially disappointed at Ascot, but it was a funny race,” said Varian. “Early on they raced in two groups and we followed the (John) Gosden horse and the (Owen) Burrows horse, who were the two market principals that day so you would say we would have position A.
“For whatever reason they folded early, which left us a little isolated and we had to join the main group and the winner and second had first run. I’m upgrading his run and though I’m not saying it cost him his winning chance, I thought he ran better than the bare result. He has always worked like a nice horse at home and we hadn’t lost faith in him.
“I’m pleased for the horse as he was one of the ones we nominated early on. Although he is by Al Kazeem he showed up well on the gallops and I thought he could be a Chesham horse, but we didn’t go down that route and he didn’t disappoint in the Pat Eddery or the Superlative.
“We had been taking him back and asking him to make up plenty of ground and we thought on testing ground we would make our experience tell. Andrea gave him a good ride from the front.
“I said to Andrea [Atzeni, jockey] would he get a mile and he thinks he will. I don’t think he has to necessarily go a mile next time, but he has had five runs already. The Royal Lodge can favour experience and now he is a Listed winner we have got to aim at Group 3s and 2s. He will be better on better ground, but he coped with it.”
Saint Lawrence is bred and raced by John Deer - the same owner and breeder as his sire Al Kazeem - and he is out of dual winning Oasis Dream (Green Desert) mare Affluent, making him a half-brother to Rockfel Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) winner and stablemate Daahyeh (Bated Breath).
Affluent herself is a half-sister to Flying Five Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) winner and now sire Deportivo (Night Shift), Group 3 winner So Beloved (Dansili) and Listed winner Irish Vale (Wolfhound).
The colt’s third dam produced dual Grade 1 winner Wandesta (Nashwan), Grade 2 winner De Quest (Rainbow Quest) and Listed-winning duo Source Of Light (Rainbow Quest) and Turners Hill (Top Ville), while this is also the family of Armory (Galileo) - who landed the Royal Whip Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f) at the Curragh on Friday.
Al Kazeem’s progeny is headed by German Group 1 winner Aspetar, while he is also the sire Listed winner Usak and his fee in 2020 was advertised as private.
A smart performance from Saint Lawrence who powers clear to take the Denford Stakes under @Atzenijockey for @varianstable pic.twitter.com/aldyRfB6gx
— Newbury Racecourse (@NewburyRacing) August 15, 2020
